This is a very distinctive structure crossing the Calumet Harbor and the Calumet River.  It is 3.1 miles from the harbor entrance.  It lies between the Norfolk Southern Railroad Bridge and  the 100th Street Bridge.  The bridge design is metal cantilever Warren Through Truss fixed.  Approach spans are metal riveted connected fixed.   The bridge , viaduct system, and all approaches total 7.8 miles in length.  Bridge main span is 650 feet.  There are spans bilaterally measuring 325 feet. Deck width is 76.4 feet.  The bridge was built in 1958.  Builder was American Bridge Company of New York.  Bridge designer was J.E. Greiner of Chicago.  The bridge was rehabbed in 2003-2004.

Bridge rating as of 9/2011:

Deck Condition  8 out of 9  Very good.  Superstructure Condition 5 out of 9 Fair.  Substructure Condition  5 out of 9  Fair.   Sufficiency rating 62.

 

     The Illinois Central Railroad Bridge over the Little Calumet River is located in Riverdale, Illinois 12.6 miles from the entrance of the Calumet Harbor.  It is between the Indiana Bridge and the Penn Central Railroad Bridge.  The bridge was originally built in 1925 by the Strauss Bascule Bridge Company.  It was modified over the years as late as the 1960’s.  It is actually four bridges configured as such:  3 trusses share a single pier; each truss contains 2 tracks. One truss (the eastern most) has its own pier and a single track.  Design is metal 10 panel bolt-connected polygonal Warren through Truss,fixed.  Approach spans metal deck girder, moveable; double leaf vascular.

     Main span is 310 feet.  Structure length is 590 feet.

The Indiana Avenue Bridge is a traffic bridge over the Little Calumet River in Chicago.  It is also known as the Little Calumet River Bridge.  It is 12.4 miles from the entrance of the Calumet Harbor.  It is located between the Western Indiana Railroad Bridge and the Illinois Central Bridge.

It was built in 1977.It is a polygonal through Truss bridge. It has one main span and two approach spans.  The main span is 264 feet long.  The structure length is 334 feet.  The roadway width is 48 feet.  The bridge is open.

The history of this bridge site is interesting.  Originally there was a ferry that crossed the river.  This was started  in 1838 by George Dolton.  The first bridge was a toll bridge dating to 1842. This was replaced by a pivoting bridge around 1900.    This was replaced by swing bridge with vertical end posts and double intersections in the 1960’s.

Rating of the bridge as of 10/2011:  Deck Condition 4 out of 9  Poor;  Superstructure Condition: 4 out of 9  Poor;  Substructure Condition: 6 out of 9 Satisfactory.  Overall rating Structurally deficient.

This bridge is known as the Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad Bridge or the Union Pacific Bridge. It is located in Riverdale, Illinois 12.15 miles from the Calumet Harbor. It crosses the Little Calumet River between the Bishop Ford Steel bridge and the Indiana Avenue Bridge.   This is a polygonal Warren through truss with all verticals type of bridge.  The largest span measures 269 feet.  Total length is 395 feet.  There is on  main span  The bridge is open.

This bridge is known as the I 94 Steel Bridge over the Little Calumet River.    It is located 10.2 miles from the entrance to the Calumet Harbor.   It is between The Norfolk and Southern Railroad Bridge over the Little Calumet River and the Chicago and Western Indiana  RR Bridge ( Union Pacific).  The age of this bridge is in dispute.  One report places the construction as 1949 and a 1993 reconstruction date.  Others feel that the 1993 date refers to  a super structure demolition and replacement with the current appearance.

It consists of a pair of Warren through truss.  The largest span is 419 feet.  Total length is 794.7 feet.  Deck width is 39.6 feet.

Inspection as of 12/2011:  Deck 7 out of 9 good

Superstructure 7 of 9 Good

Substructure 7 out of 9

Rating 83

The bridge is open.  It is located in Calumet City, Illinois

     There is a Norfolk Southern Railroad Bridge over the Little Calumet River in Calumet City, Illinois.  It is located 9.5 miles from the entrance of the Calumet Harbor.  It is between the T.J. O’Brien Lock and dam and the Bishop Ford Steel Bridge.  

     This bridge is a Warren through Truss bridge.  It is 300feet in length. It is currently open.

 

     This is a vertical lift railroad bridge over the Calumet River System.  It is 6.8 miles from the entrance of the Calumet Harbor. It lies between the 106th Street Traffic Bridge and the Torrence Avenue traffic Bridge. 

     This is a tower driven vertical lift bridge. Spans are suspended between 210 feet towers. Towers are supported by concrete piers.    Lift is 125 feet. Span is raised and lowered by an elaborate system of cables and pulleys.  It was built and fabricated by the American Bridge Company and Corbett Construction Company. Bridge is no longer operation also. It was built in 1967-8. Architect was James Peterson. 

     Prior bridge at this site was an early Strauss bascule type.  It was a single leaf truss.  It was built in 1910.

     The Chicago and Western Indiana Rail Bridge is the elevated span.  The Torrence Avenue traffic bridge is the lower span.

 

The Thomas J. O’Brien Lock and Dam is the uppermost one on the Illinois Waterway. It is located 7 miles from Lake Michigan. It is positioned between the 130th Street Railroad Bridge and the Norfolk Southern Little Calumet Railroad Bridge.

The lock was designed by the Army Corps of Engineers.  It was constructed from 1957 to 1960.  It was opened in 1965. The main purpose of the lock is to regulate the flow of water from Lake Michigan into the Illinois Waterway.  It has a lift of three to four feet.  The lock measures 1000 X 110 feet.  

     The lock was named after Thomas J. O’Brien a long time Democratic congressman from the Chicago area.